Hand Skills Training Impacting Positively on Refugee Girls
The Associazion Centra Aluti Volontari (ACAV) an implementing partner of the UNHCR is changing the lives of many refugee girls from Uganda Refugees’ Settlements who have dropped out of school for one reason or the other by empowering them with skills that are enabling them to make a living.
Rose Night, a 22-years old South Sudanese who acquired tailoring skills from the organization said that before she got the opportunity to attend the training, she was experiencing a lot of hardship as she had no way of earning a living at the settlement.
The opportunity opened many doors for Night who after the tailoring training was given a hand sawing machine by ACAV as a start-up kit. The proceeds from her tailoring business have now made her capable of purchasing her daily needs and in addition, she is now able to support her parents financially albeit in a small way.
“If there are customers in a day I can get between 20,000 Ugandan Shillings (the US $ 5.47) and 40,000 Ugandan shillings (the US $ 10.97),’’ Night explained adding that with the money she gets, she buys some kitagas which she sells. She has managed to open a bank account and is saving little by little for future use.
She said that before acquiring the training, her life was miserable as she used to help other people constructing their houses at the settlement and earn something very small which was barely enough to support her daily basic necessities.
“The challenge of paying school fees made me drop out, but I am glad that my life now has a meaning, thanks to the training I got, I am able to live a better life,” she expressed. She is still hopeful that she gets a chance to further her studies in the future.
“I perfectly understand the importance of education and if I get some partners to sponsor me I would be glad to go back to school,” Night who has been out of school for the last two years expressed.
Meanwhile, Sitima Gladys, a 19-years old South Sudanese refugee who also acquired tailoring training from ACVA said that she has managed to open up a tailoring shop which is now helping her to pay school fees to some of her family members and medical expenses whenever her children fall sick. At the same time, she is able to take care of her elderly and vulnerable parents thanks to the proceeds she obtains from the tailoring shop.
“My life has improved after getting the hand sawing machine because I can now manage to get the basic necessities I and my family needs,” she expressed adding that she has now been running her shop for one year and she gets at least 30,000 Ugandan shillings (8.21 US $) per day. She hopes to further her tailoring training so that she can acquire more skills. She urges those who have benefited from such training to utilize them to earn a living.
Akadu Harriet another South Sudanese refugee who got the same training in 2019 said that ACVA is really improving the lives of many refugees in the settlement.
“When I come to the center in the morning, at least I can get 30,000 Ugandan shillings in a day which helps me to provide for my daily needs at home and save little for the future,’’ Harriet said adding that her savings so far have enabled her to acquire more sawing materials to expand her business.
Bongo Patrick Namisi, the head of programs at ACAV expressed the desire to train more refugees and the host community but unfortunately, their efforts have been curtailed by the challenge of COVID 19
By Gaaniko Samson Jerry
